Crew’s youngsters show some potential
When asked after a 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night about the match and his performance, JJ Williams could’ve singled out a controversial no-call 13 minutes into the game that would’ve given him a penalty kick. He could’ve said Crew SC was missing six regular starters because of injuries and international duty and that the team’s play will improve in the coming games when the absent players return.
All of those reasons aren’t excuses, but truths and realities to the Crew’s current situation with 15 games remaining.
Instead, the 21-yearold was critical of his performance despite several good moments.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a PK or not,” Williams said. “I should’ve taken a touch and finished. I need to score. I need to do my job, and I didn’t do that tonight.”
The young, inexperienced players created more chances in the first half than Real Salt Lake and probably should have scored the first goal. Injuries have devastated the team, and there are few positives at the moment, but coach Caleb Porter is taking solace in the fact that when he challenged a young group of players, they showed potential that he wanted to see.
“I can’t fault these guys for giving everything they have,” Porter said. “I’m obviously disappointed not to score and win, and disappointed to give up the goal again. But as far as their effort and their attitude, I’m pleased with that.”
Porter made six lineup changes Wednesday that allowed some players to be on as much rest as possible for Saturday’s home game against Seattle. Only one of the six starters who are age 24 or younger had more than 15 career starts entering Wednesday’s game, and three had combined for five career starts.
Already down to the second and third spots on the depth chart at so many positions, Porter wanted to see what some inexperienced players could do. One of those that impressed Porter was homegrown player Aboubacar Keita, a Westerville native who made his MLS debut at age 19.
Keita said he could’ve defended better on the conceded goal when the ball and Salt Lake forward Sam Johnson got behind him and fellow homegrown player Alex Crognale. It was a learning moment for the rookie.
“(When) I joined the academy, there were a lot of guys in front of me that thought they’d be pro before me,” Keita said, “so stepping out there today is like — I wouldn’t say I deserve it, but I’ve been working hard for it.”
Midfielder Eduardo Sosa was the first player Porter mentioned as having an impressive game. It was just the Venezuelan international’s 15th career game and fifth career start, but he created several chances playing in the central midfield and had arguably the best look at goal all game that missed by inches.
As the Crew begins to get players back from international duty and injuries, along with the addition of some players in the transfer window, the scoring should improve. What the Crew found out Wednesday was that there are already some tools in the drawer that can develop.
Williams, however, doesn’t simply want playing time or to tacitly say he’s content with incremental improvement. He’s being asked to fill a hole until leading scorer Gyasi Zardes returns from the U.S. national team, and accepts accountability for not getting the job done in just his second career start.
“Just me scoring goals, that’s what it comes down to,” he said. “If I score goals, we win games.”